It has been a while!

Sorry it has been so long since I have Blogged! I pray that I will be on her more often! It's been almost two months but I have not been in the right place mentally or physically to do much of anything. Mostly my fault for not being in God's Word the way I should. That has already begun to change and here I am!

So, if anybody does happen to read my blog, Keep coming back! Who knows what will be next!

Elizabeth

God's Handiwork

Lord, Thank you for everything you give us in life! The sun rises and the sunsets. What you have created is simply amazing!!!

May you Always Be Blessed!!

Today was a rough day! Several ups and downs!! But every time things started going downhill I asked God to PLEASE BLESS ME in some way however small so that I could be lifted just the slightest and feel like moving forward. Each and every time, He did just that and moment by moment and blessing by blessing, I got through the day!
Tears and Laughter!

And its amazing that just when you think your at a bad spot and need to seek the help of a friend and you muster the courage to do it, you get there and that friend actually needed you more!!! God knows just what he is Doing!!

Thank You Lord for All the Blessings you put into my life, TRULY!!! Each and every day, no matter how small the blessing might be. A ray of sunlight peeking from behind a cloud just to remind me your there! A smile from a stranger as they pass by. Suddenly finding something I've been looking for, for weeks. A call from an old friend. Someone I don't even know saying "God Bless You".

May God Bless Your Life Today and Always!

Please click on the link below and watch the video!!!!

We Send You Our Blessings

Sorry for being gone!

Sorry I havn't posted for a while!!! I hope there is still someone out there reading or at least checking to see if this Blog is still alive!!!

Its amazing the amount of havac and damage one small accident can cause in a persons' life! I have been trying not to let my aches and pains get the best of me and have been fighting it pretty well, then got sick on top of that. Not sure, but it was probably caused by the medication. Anyway, doing my best to plug along each day and do the best I can ONE DAY AT A TIME!!!!

In all of this, I know that it happenned for a reason. I was just talking to my church granny this morning about how something GOOD can come out of all of this.

I was just reading & skimming through a devotional and came across these passages.....

"Don't be bewildered or surprised when you go through the fiery trials ahead, for this is no strange, unusual thing that is going to happen to you. 1 Peter 4:12 LB"

"God uses problems to draw you closer to himself."

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18 NLT"

"We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son." Romans 8:28-29 NLT

God is sovereignly in control, accidents are just incidents in God's good plan for us! Every problem is a character-building opportunity, and the more difficult it is, the greater the potential for building spiritual muscle and moral fiber.

Excerpts from "Daily Inspiration for the Purpose Driven Life" Rick Warren

Celebrate Recovery Sunday Celebration

Tampa Baptist Church
300 E. Sligh Ave, Tampa, FL 33604
(813)238-5673

August 27th, 2006
10:45 AM


Join our Sunday Worship Service as we Celebrate two years of our “Celebrate Recovery” Program. Live and Life Moving Testimonies, Music and Worship Praising God in all his Glory for the healing he has bestowed upon us! We welcome anyone interested in starting a program or wanting to learn more about Celebrate Recovery. “How to heal from your Hurts, Habits and Hangups”.

We are Seeking to be a community of Christ-followers, motivated by a passion for God and a compassion for people!

Tribute to My Father ~ Claude B Redman

Today is the anniversary of my father's death. It has been 8 long, (yet somehow very short) years. SO... In honor of him I had to share what we read at his funeral. The first was written by my Brother, Larri to try and relay to others what kind of man our father was....

Our father was a man who could speak on levels with anyone - Poet, writer, clergy or teacher.
He was always the one to lead us in Thanks or Prayer at Thanksgiving or Christmas family dinners.
He was well versed on the Bible as any minister or as well versed in sports as any athlete.
He was a man who never spoke unkindly about any person.
He was a man who loved his wife and loved each of his seven children equally, even though each is different.
He was a man who was always faithful and honest to his wife, family and friends.
Even if we didn't realize at the time, he was a role model to his children and maybe that is why not one has ever moved away from the area.
He was always there for support or guidance at all times - day or night, year after year.
He will be missed always.
As great a man and father that he was to us, his Lord and Savior must have needed him also.

One of the many talents I admired most of my father was his gift of writing and poetry. I read a poem that he wrote for my mother a month before they were married. They celebrated 50 wonderful years together on earth! I think this poem says it all.....

For Dolores....

Love of Mine Oh Soul divine,
That makes mine fill with singing.
Joyous heart Let's never part,
Until life goes a winging.

And then once more on other shores
Let's meet again forever,
And pledge a new
That love so true
Which death itself can't sever.

Claude B. Redman ~ February 1948

Dad, It took me a long time to come to terms with your death!! For almost 8 years I went without completely grieving because I had to stay strong for Mom and try to hold things together. It became too much to bear. I have to say there are three things that made me finally come to full circle and complete that grieving process, though not a day will go by that I won't miss you dearly!!

First, was watching the Movie "End of the Spear" and how the Missionaries gave their lives to bring Christ to a people whom desperately needed to hear God's word. They gave their lives unselfishly!! The same way that you gave your life to your children and to your wife.

Second, was when I finally for the first time sat at your grave and had a one to one conversation with you! I finally got a lot of things said and a lot of emotions and tears shed that I had not done before.

And lastly was hearing a question that Tony Dungy had posed to him in relation to his son who had died. "KNOWING WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT HEAVEN...HOW PERFECT IT IS, HOW PAIN FREE AND BEAUTIFUL... WOULD YOU BRING HIM BACK?"

That brought me to tears and of course my answer was NO!! I could not bring you back from Heaven! That would not be fair! That would be cruel!!

Father God, I pray that you and my earthly father are having a wonderful time in heaven and that you have made a special place for the rest of us who will follow! I can't wait for the day that our family will be together again in your Glorious House!
In Jesus Name, Amen

12-STEP PROGRAM THE TWELVE STEPS AND THEIR BIBLICAL COMPARISONS

1. We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors. That our lives had become unmanageable. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. (Romans 7:18)

2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13)

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. (Romans 12:1)

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD. (Lamentations 3:40)

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our wrongs. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. (James 5:16a)

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)

7. Humbly asked Him to remove all our shortcomings. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Do to others as you would have them do to you. (Luke 6:31)

9. Made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that our brother has something against you; leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. (Matthew 5:23-24)

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! (1 Corinthians 10:12)

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and power to carry that out. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. (Colossians 3:16a)

12. Having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and practice these principles in all our affairs.Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)

- All scripture quoted from the New International Version.

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY: Eight Recovery Principles based on the BEATITUDES by Pastor Rick Warren

Principle 1
R- Realize I'm not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and my life is unmanageable.
"Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor"

Principle 2
E- Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to him, and that he has the power to help me recover.
"Happy are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted"

Principle 3
C- Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ's care and control.
"Happy are the meek"

Principle 4
O- Openly examine and confess my faults to God, to myself, and to myself, to God, and to someone I trust.
"Happy are the pure in heart"

Principle 5
V- Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects.
"Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires"

Principle 6
E- Evaluate all my relationships; Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I've done to others except when to do so would harm them or others.
"Happy are the merciful" "Happy are the peacemakers"

Principle 7
R- Reserve a daily time with God for self examination, Bible readings and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and to gain the power to follow His will.

Principle 8
Y- Yield myself to God to be used to bring this Good News to others, both by my example and by my words.
"Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires"

WHY?

I just spent over an hour working on a new post! I couldn't sleep and woke up early! It was a little long but really good!!! THEN>>>>> gone!!!!!!! Not exactly sure what happened! Its just getting use to using this "Blogger" system I'm sure! Anyway, I will try to rewrite it later!

It is about Family!!!

Bascially.... it boils down to this thought... when is the last time you picked up the phone to call a family member (mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew) or Friend, just to say "I LOVE YOU!!! Not to ask for advice, or to "vent" on them... But just to let them know that you know they are alive, you think about them, and that they make a difference in your life. Do they know that?? Have you told them????

Beth

LIVING SINGLE??

This will probably not be the only time I touch upon this subject!!! Today it just happens to be on my mind!

I had a co-worker (whom shall remain nameless) who thinks that I need to find a man! Well, I have been there and done that and all in the wrong way!! She keeps teasing at me trying to tell me I need to go after this person or that person.

She wants to know why I am not interested in this so called "guy" she keeps nagging me about. My telling her that he is not my type is not a good enough reason for her. She wants me to tell her "what my type is".

There may have been a time when I would have looked around and given her a few examples, but I have come a long way since those days!! Not that there aren't some attractive men around, but I am JUST NOT LOOKING RIGHT NOW!!! I hope she reads this and stops!!! I gave her the address to this blog and hopefully she will see it in Black and White!

My answer to her by the way was... I have a man in my life... His name is JESUS!!! He is all the man I need right now! He wants me to work on my life and to be happy with myself before I can learn to be happy sharing my life with someone else! And yes, I am trying to take the Bible very seriously and live my life by GODS WORD! MY LIFE has been so much better since I have done just that!!!!

In fact, I share my life with so very many people, and that makes God very happy!
So, now that I really think about it, and though I really may have to remind myself a lot! I am NOT LIVING SINGLE!! I am living a life filled with CHRIST and many loving people!!
Betherine

Today is A day the Lord has Made!

Today is A day the Lord has Made Rejoice and be Glad in it! I absolutely LOVE Sundays!!!! It is my Favorite day of the week!!

It is the one day that I can relax and enjoy just being in Gods' presence without the hustle and bustle of the rest of the world! It is my day of Rest! My day of Resting in God!

I am blessed by him every day from the time I open my eyes in the morning and see the wonders of the world that HE created!! There is Such Beauty in what HE has done!!!

The more I am in his word and I talk to him, the closer I grow in him! I find that he speaks to me quite often! All I have to do is LISTEN!